Luciole [part 9/9]
anonymous
December 9 2009, 23:11:21 UTC
With France’s help, Taiwan attempts to put her life into order, taking things one step at a time. The worst part was informing her older brother of her pregnancy, and China is stunned by the news, showing only a brief flare of anger at France - the intruder, the traitor - before retreating back into a state of polite disbelief. China senses that the pregnancy was unexpected, yet he fears that this partnership, despite its outward innocence, could result in even more unrest between him and Taiwan. However, Taiwan tells him that he would be an uncle soon, and he mulls over that thought, slightly mollified.
“Aiyaa… you know how my leaders would feel about this, mei-mei. But… as your brother, I am happy for you.”
“Thank you, brother.”
Japan and Korea look thunderstruck when they are told some weeks later, and Vietnam is noticeably torn between delight for her sister and fury at France, of whom she could believe anything terrible. After a brief awkward silence, they suddenly ply Taiwan with questions, how long before she is due, what will she name the child, etcetera, and she laughs nervously and tries her best to answer them. At her side, France squeezes her fingers gently, and she soldiers on, accepting their well-wishes with solemn grace, promises them news as often as she could.
Even though it is supposed to be unofficial, France still buys her a ring, white gold with an array of tiny sparkling diamonds. It is prettier than the arms he once promised to her government, Taiwan decides, and she kisses his cheek in thanks.
The implications of their closeness do not go unnoticed at the next conference, and Holland and England decide that they will beat up France later, so as to not disturb Taiwan’s delicate constitution.
But it is when elderly grandmothers and independent young women alike smile at her on the streets and wish her the best with her pregnancy, that she realizes how much a small part of her misses the sound of a baby’s laughter, a lover’s arms around her, all that could help fill up the emptiness she created in her struggle to overcome her status as a nation-state and prove her worth on the world stage. She had not expected to be a mother, yet it was not unwanted. When she tells France this later, he looks at her affectionately.
“Love has a way of teaching us what we do not want to know, but should.”
“...Do you know how obnoxious you sound when you are right?”
[Sorry for the lame ending, I had no more ideas. But I hope you enjoyed it, my first time writing an Asian or het, so I probably bumbled a lot. Taiwan is not officially recognized as a nation by France (or nearly any European country), but the two do have a fairly significant history of unofficial economic and culture ties. The final paragraphs were based on the recent article on Taiwan's low birthrate, which is the lowest in the world.]
“Aiyaa… you know how my leaders would feel about this, mei-mei. But… as your brother, I am happy for you.”
“Thank you, brother.”
Japan and Korea look thunderstruck when they are told some weeks later, and Vietnam is noticeably torn between delight for her sister and fury at France, of whom she could believe anything terrible. After a brief awkward silence, they suddenly ply Taiwan with questions, how long before she is due, what will she name the child, etcetera, and she laughs nervously and tries her best to answer them. At her side, France squeezes her fingers gently, and she soldiers on, accepting their well-wishes with solemn grace, promises them news as often as she could.
Even though it is supposed to be unofficial, France still buys her a ring, white gold with an array of tiny sparkling diamonds. It is prettier than the arms he once promised to her government, Taiwan decides, and she kisses his cheek in thanks.
The implications of their closeness do not go unnoticed at the next conference, and Holland and England decide that they will beat up France later, so as to not disturb Taiwan’s delicate constitution.
But it is when elderly grandmothers and independent young women alike smile at her on the streets and wish her the best with her pregnancy, that she realizes how much a small part of her misses the sound of a baby’s laughter, a lover’s arms around her, all that could help fill up the emptiness she created in her struggle to overcome her status as a nation-state and prove her worth on the world stage. She had not expected to be a mother, yet it was not unwanted. When she tells France this later, he looks at her affectionately.
“Love has a way of teaching us what we do not want to know, but should.”
“...Do you know how obnoxious you sound when you are right?”
[Sorry for the lame ending, I had no more ideas. But I hope you enjoyed it, my first time writing an Asian or het, so I probably bumbled a lot. Taiwan is not officially recognized as a nation by France (or nearly any European country), but the two do have a fairly significant history of unofficial economic and culture ties. The final paragraphs were based on the recent article on Taiwan's low birthrate, which is the lowest in the world.]
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